Estimating the critical N:C from litter decomposition data and its relation to soil organic matter stoichiometry

Abstract

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) interact strongly during decomposition of litters with repercussions for stoichiometry of soil organic matter (SOM). A characteristic parameter describing this interaction is the critical N:C ratio, r(c), i.e. the litter N:C ratio at which net N mineralisation commences. We show here how r(c) can be estimated from time series of decomposition and use four large data bases to investigate how environment and litter properties determine r(c). We find that re increases with increasing initial litter N:C and N fertilisation. The critical N:C responds also to large scale variations in environment but it is not clear which environmental variable drives this variability. With increasing r(c) we find an increase in SOM N:C. SOM N:C increases more rapidly than r(c), which can be explained if the decrease in substrate quality during decomposition is taken into account. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Carbon; Decomposition; Litter; Nitrogen; Soil organic matter; Stoichiometry

Published in

Soil Biology and Biochemistry
2013, volume: 67, pages: 312-318
Publisher: Elsevier

SLU Authors

• Ågren, Göran

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hyvönen, Riitta

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Berglund, Linnéa

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Soil Science
Ecology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.09.010

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/52085